Helping the body heal itself: Regenerative medicine to be discussed at UH

[Guest guest]

Medical News Today 02 Mar 2005

Helping the body heal itself: Regenerative medicine to be discussed at UH

Professor Dame Polak to present seminar on tissue engineering -

Professor Dame Polak, a pioneer in stem cell research and regenerative

medicine, will speak at the University of Houston at 4:15 p.m., Tuesday, March

8. The event is open to the public.

In a seminar on " Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, " Polak will discuss the

promise this type of research holds to treat diseases that include diabetes,

arthritis, coronary artery disease, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. In addition to

providing hope for those afflicted with these types of ailments, tissue

engineering is already helping athletes who suffer from various sports injuries.

Polak's visit is sponsored by the Texas/United Kingdom Collaborative Research

Initiative, a program supported by the British government with the aim of

stimulating interactions between researchers from participating Texas

institutions and universities in the UK.

" The discovery that stem cells can be manipulated to form virtually any cell

type or tissue is providing the basis for cell replacement and engineered

tissues, " Polak said. " These may ultimately play a large role in treating

widespread and devastating diseases. Various types of stem cells are being

investigated for their potential….to help the body heal itself. "

Herself a recipient of a heart and lung transplant a decade ago, Polak will

discuss how biology, materials science and biomedical engineering have come

together in this new field directed toward long-term repair and replacement of

failing human tissues and organs. One of the most highly cited researchers in

the world, she is ranked in the top 10 of the World's Most Prolific Scientists.

Joining Imperial College London in 1992, Polak is the director of the Tissue

Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Centre based in Chelsea and Westminster

Hospital.

Polak's visit is co-hosted by the Houston chapter of Sigma Xi, the UH College of

Pharmacy and the Department of Pharmacological & Pharmaceutical Sciences. Sigma

Xi is the national research honor society of scientists and engineers that

recognizes scientific achievement and is dedicated to advancing these fields

with its mission to enhance the health of the research enterprise, foster

integrity in science and promote the public's understanding of science for the

purpose of improving the human condition. The College of Pharmacy offers a

Pharm. D. degree, a master's in pharmacy administration, a Ph.D. in

pharmaceutics or pharmacology and combined Pharm.D./Ph.D. degrees, with

facilities both on the UH campus and in the Texas Medical Center.

WHO:

Dame Polak

Director, Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Centre

Imperial College London / Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

WHAT:

" Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine " Seminar

WHEN:

4:15 to 5:15 p.m. (reception to follow)

Tuesday, March 8

WHERE:

University of Houston

Science & Research 2 Building, Room 130

Entrance 14 off Cullen Boulevard

uh.edu/campus_map/buildings/SR2.html

For more information about UH, visit the university's Newsroom at

http://www.uh.edu/newsroom.

To receive UH science news via e-mail, visit

uh.edu/admin/media/sciencelist.html.